JP2005335733A - Inserting apparatus, inserting method and automatic boxing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inserting apparatus smoothly separating an exterior box and an interference preventing member after an article is inserted into the exterior box, an inserting method and an automatic boxing apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A placing member 15, article arranging members (13 and 8), a pinching and pressing means 8 for pinching and pressing a group Wa of articles, the interference preventing member 13a composed of a plate-like body, a moving means 15b for relatively approaching and separating the interference preventing member and the placing member 15 to a placing position M and an inserting position N, and an inserting means for advancing and retreating a pushing-out member 14, are equipped. The placing member on which the exterior box C is placed is positioned at an inserting position N, and the interference preventing member is positioned by bringing it into contact with the inner face of the peripheral wall B of the exterior box. Then, the pushing-out member pushes out the group of the articles to an insertion completing position L and advances. Thereafter, the placing member advances while at least specified separating interval is kept from the interference preventing member (NN), and the pushing-out member advances while a interval from the placing member is kept at approximately the same interval as the insertion completing position (L). Thereafter, the placing member is retreated to the placing position M, and the pushing-out member is retreated further G than the pushing-out starting position H. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an insertion device, an insertion method of the insertion device, and an automatic boxing device using the insertion device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an insertion device having an interference preventing member, an insertion method of the insertion device, and an automatic boxing device using the insertion device.

  2. Description of the Related Art As an insertion device for pushing an article into an outer box, an insertion device that opens an outer box and pushes the article into the opening and an automatic boxing device using the insertion device are known.

On the other hand, in a general exterior box having a peripheral wall of four sides, such as a cardboard case, the peripheral wall tip forms an opening. Further, a flap, which is a plate-like member, is extended from all or a part of the peripheral wall tip of the four sides. This flap is bent inwardly at the end of the peripheral wall to form a lid of the outer box. For this reason, the insertion device includes a plurality of plate-like bodies corresponding to the respective peripheral wall tips, and the plate-like body excludes the flap outside the plate-like body, and the main surface of the plate-like body externally covers the article. A guide member (interference prevention member) configured to guide into the opening of the box is provided. Specifically, the positional relationship between the exterior box and the interference prevention member is configured so that the opening of the exterior box and the inner surface of the flap are in contact with the interference prevention member. This facilitates the insertion of the article into the outer box so that the inserted article does not interfere with the open end or flap of the outer box (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-19707 A

  However, in the conventional insertion device, the interference prevention member abuts against the inner surface of the outer wall of the outer box, so that when the article is inserted into the outer box, the interference prevention member is sandwiched between the outer wall of the outer box and the article, Even when the outer box is restrained by the interference preventing member and the placing member is separated, the outer box may not be separated. In particular, such a situation has occurred remarkably when the gap (clearance) between the inserted article or group of articles and the outer box is small and the article is a highly rigid article such as a carton or a plastic case.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems. An insertion device having an interference prevention member, an insertion method of the insertion device, and an automatic boxing device using the insertion device, an exterior after insertion of an article. It is an object of the present invention to provide an insertion device, an insertion method, and an automatic boxing device that can smoothly separate the box and the interference prevention member.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an insertion device and an insertion method of the insertion device according to the present invention include: an outer packaging box in an open state in which a flap is extended to a distal end of a peripheral wall that forms an opening. And a placement member placed toward the door, and arranged so as to define at least a part of a predetermined region in which the article or group of articles is arranged so as to correspond to the opening of the outer packaging box in the predetermined direction The article placement member, a clamping means for clamping and holding the article or group of articles in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction in the predetermined area, and the predetermined area and the mounting member Interference prevention composed of a plate-like body extending in the predetermined direction in between and arranged so as to exclude the flap from the front space of the opening of the exterior box placed on the mounting member Member and said predetermined direction Moving means for relatively approaching and separating the interference prevention member and the placement member so that the interference prevention member is positioned at a placement position separated from the placement member and an insertion position approached. From the extrusion start position in contact with the clamped article or group of articles to the insertion completion position where the article or group of articles almost bottoms in the outer box placed on the mounting member described above at the insertion position Or an insertion means for advancing and retreating the pushing member so as to push out the article group to advance and retreat, the above-mentioned placing member on which the outer packaging box is placed is positioned at the insertion position by the moving means, and At least a part of the main surface of the interference preventing member is positioned in contact with the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall of the outer box, and then the pushing member pushes out the article or group of articles from the pushing start position to the insertion completion position. Until the placement member is separated from the interference prevention member by at least a predetermined distance, the push-out member is spaced from the placement member at approximately the same distance as the insertion completion position. Then, the mounting member is moved to the mounting position by the moving means, and the pushing member is retreated beyond the pushing start position (Claims 1 and 7). With this configuration, even if the outer box is restrained by the interference preventing member, the extruded member presses the outer box through the article in the outer box until the restrained state between the outer box and the interference preventing member is eliminated. It becomes possible to smoothly separate the outer packaging box after insertion and the interference prevention member.

  In the insertion device and the insertion method of the insertion device according to the present invention, the placement member is moved by the moving means so as to approach the interference prevention member (claims 2 and 8). With such a configuration, the article placement member, the pinching means, and the interference prevention member can be fixed, so that the structure of the insertion device 9 can be rationalized.

  Further, in the insertion device and the insertion method of the insertion device according to the present invention, the predetermined interval is such that the placement member separates from the interference prevention member until a tip of the interference prevention member is separated from the article or group of articles. It is an interval (claims 3 and 9). With this configuration, the extrusion member presses the exterior box through the article in the exterior box until the interference prevention member comes out from the gap between the peripheral wall of the exterior box and the article, so that interference with the exterior box after the article is inserted is prevented. It is possible to smoothly separate the member.

  In the insertion device and the insertion method of the insertion device according to the present invention, the predetermined interval is an interval at which the placement member is separated from the interference prevention member until the tip of the interference prevention member is separated from the tip of the peripheral wall. (Claims 4 and 10). With such a configuration, the extrusion member presses the exterior box through the article in the exterior box until the peripheral wall of the exterior box and the interference prevention member are separated from each other, so that the exterior box and the interference prevention member after the article is inserted smoothly It becomes possible to separate.

Further, in the insertion device and the insertion method of the insertion device according to the present invention, the predetermined interval is such that the placement member is separated from the interference prevention member until the front end of the interference prevention member is separated from the flap front end of the outer box. (Claims 5 and 11). With such a configuration, the extruding member presses the exterior box through the article in the exterior box until the exterior box and the interference prevention member are completely separated from each other, so that the exterior box and the interference prevention member after the article is inserted smoothly It becomes possible to separate.
Further, in the insertion device and the insertion method of the insertion device according to the present invention, the article arrangement member is configured to have a pair of movable plates that constitute a shutter with an edge contacting and separating, and the movable plate is The interference member is disposed so as to advance and retreat in a plane perpendicular to the extrusion direction of the extrusion member on the extrusion direction side of the article or group of articles, and the interference member is formed from the respective edge portions of the pair of movable plates. A pair of plate-like bodies extending in the direction (claims 6 and 12). With such a configuration, the interference preventing member is disposed in contact with the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall of the outer box by separating the movable plate to the predetermined open position, so that the interference preventing member can correct the positional deviation of the outer box. it can.

  An automatic boxing device according to the present invention includes an insertion device according to claim 1, an article supply device that sequentially supplies articles to a first position, and the articles that are sequentially received at the first position, and the articles are sequentially received. An article alignment device that aligns the second position, an article row transfer device that supplies an article row that is aligned at the second position to a predetermined area of the insertion device, and an outer box on the placement member of the insertion device An outer box supply device for carrying the outer box in which the article row is inserted from the placement member of the insertion device, the article supply device, the part article alignment device, and the article And a control device for controlling operations of the row transfer device, the insertion device, the outer box supply device, and the outer box carry-out device (claim 13). With such a configuration, the article and the outer box are automatically loaded into the insertion device and unloaded from the insertion device, so that an automatic boxing device that smoothly transfers the outer box after insertion of the article becomes possible.

  As described above, the present invention provides an insertion device having an interference prevention member, an insertion method of the insertion device, and an automatic boxing device using the insertion device, in which the outer box and the interference prevention member are separated from each other after the article is inserted. There is an effect that it can be made smooth.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an arrangement relationship between an insertion device, an exterior box, and an interference preventing member and an exterior box according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the insertion device 9 includes a positioning plate 17, a pressing plate 18, a pair of clamping plates 8, a pair of movable plates 13 and 13, and a plate-like body extending on the movable plates 13 and 13. The interference prevention members 13a and 13a, the pushing member 14, and the mounting member 15 are provided.

  Here, the exterior box C is formed of a main body constituted by a bottom wall and four side walls (peripheral walls) B, and flaps Fa, Fa, Fb, and Fb formed at the front ends of the side walls B.

  The pair of movable plates 13 and 13 are disposed between the pushing member 14 and the mounting member 15 so as to advance and retreat in a plane perpendicular to the advancing and retreating direction of the mounting member 15. The pair of movable plates 13 and 13 constitutes a shutter when the edges of the movable plates 13 and 13 come into contact with and separate from each other at the bottom of the article placement region S. The pair of movable plates 13 and 13 are moved forward and backward by driving a known drive mechanism such as an actuator by a known drive device such as a servo motor (see FIG. 9, opening / closing drive device 13b). At the time of contact, the bottom of the article placement area S is defined. When the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 are separated from each other, the bottom portion of the article placement area S is opened, and the article group Wa (not shown in FIG. 1) is pushed out of the article placement area S by the pushing member 14. ing.

  Here, the article arrangement region S is formed so that the article group Wa can be formed by arranging the article W alone or the article W in parallel between the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 and the extrusion member 14. . Here, the article group Wa is formed so as to be juxtaposed. Specifically, the article placement region S is a rectangular parallelepiped shape defined by the article placement member 19, that is, the pair of movable plates 13 and 13, the pair of clamping plates 8 and 8, the positioning plate 17, and the pressing plate 18. Space.

  Further, the interference preventing members 13a and 13a made of a pair of plate-like bodies are arranged below the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 with their edges directed vertically downward. And the front-end | tip edge part of the interference prevention members 13a and 13a is an opening part of the front-end | tip edge part of the side wall B of the exterior box C mounted in the mounting member 15 in insertion position N (refer FIG. 2) in planar view. It is arranged to be located on the side. As a result, the main surface of the interference preventing member 13a is positioned so as to face the inner surface of the flap Fb, so that the flap Fb can be eliminated from the front space of the opening of the exterior box C. Therefore, the interference preventing members 13a and 13a can prevent contact between the article group Wa, the flap Fb, and the front edge of the side wall B. Here, the edges of the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 that are in contact with each other are formed so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the advancing and retreating direction, and the interference preventing members 13a and 13a extend vertically downward from the edges. ing. Then, when the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 are opened, the leading edge portions of the interference preventing members 13a and 13a are positioned on the opening side of the leading edge portion of the side wall B of the exterior box C in plan view.

  Further, when the front end edges of the interference prevention members 13a and 13a reach the opening of the outer box C in a side view, at least a part of the main surfaces of the interference prevention members 13a and 13a is a side wall of the outer box C. Since it is positioned so as to contact the inner surface of B, it is possible to correct the displacement of the outer box C.

  The interference preventing member 13a is formed integrally with the movable plate 13 by bending a flat plate. Alternatively, the interference preventing member 13a manufactured separately from the movable plate 13 is mounted with bolts and nuts or the like. In the latter case, the interference prevention member 13a having an appropriate shape can be changed depending on the size and height of the opening of the outer box C, so that the versatility of the insertion device 9 is improved.

  The pushing member 14 is configured to push the article group Wa arranged in the article arrangement area S into the outer box C placed on the placing member 15. Therefore, the contact portion of the extrusion member 14 with the article group Wa is processed into a shape that can push the head of the article group Wa in a certain direction during extrusion. Here, the pushing member 14 is formed of a rectangular plate, and the lower surface thereof is formed in a flat shape. Further, the pushing member 14 is supported by an advancing / retreating drive device 14b so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the mounting member 15. Here, the advancing / retreating drive device 14b is configured such that the push-out member 14 is supported by a shaft from behind, that is, from above here, and the shaft can be moved up and down by a drive device such as an actuator or a servo motor. Extruding means is constituted by the extruding member 14 and the advance / retreat driving device 14b.

  The pair of pinching plates 8 and 8 are disposed to face each other so as to sandwich the article group Wa in the article arrangement region S. The pair of clamping plates 8 are configured to clamp and hold the article group Wa by advancing and retracting to clamp the side surface of the article group Wa. Here, the pair of clamping plates 8 and 8 are supported by a shaft body from the retracting direction, and the shaft body is configured to be advanced and retracted by a drive device (not shown) such as an actuator or a servo motor. Yes.

  The positioning plate 17 is disposed so as to define a side surface of the article arrangement region S parallel to the advancing / retreating direction of the pair of pressing plates 8 and 8.

  The holding plate 18 is disposed so as to support the side surface of the article group Wa from the side opposite to the positioning plate 17 with the article group Wa in the article arrangement region S in between. The holding plate 18 is configured to advance to a position in contact with the side surface of the article placement region S and to be retracted therefrom. Thus, the article group Wa can be arranged in the article arrangement region S while the presser plate 18 is retracted. Here, the pressing plate 18 is configured to swing around a horizontal axis passing through the upper end thereof and to be retractable.

  The mounting member 15 is disposed on the opposite side of the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 from the pushing member 14, that is, below here. The mounting member 15 is configured by a pedestal such as a board having a size capable of mounting the outer box C, and is supported by an advancing / retracting drive device 15b (moving means) that moves forward and backward with respect to the pushing member 14. Here, the advancing / retreating drive device 15b is configured such that a shaft disposed below the mounting member 15 can be moved up and down by an actuator, a servo motor, or the like. Accordingly, since the outer box C and the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 can be approached and separated from each other, the arrangement work of the outer box C can be facilitated.

  Further, the mounting member 15 may be provided with a fixture 15a of the outer box C. As a result, it is possible to prevent the displacement of the outer packaging box C when the article group Wa is inserted. As the fixing tool 15a, a general instrument such as a clamp or a suction tool is used. Here, a pair of L-shaped members are provided as the fixtures 15a, whereby the pair of exterior boxes C are lightly clamped so that the exterior box C is fixed at a predetermined position.

  Next, the general operation of the insertion device 9 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

  In the following description, the positions of the pushing member 14 and the mounting member 15 are vertical positions with reference to the interference preventing members 13a and 13a.

  FIG. 2 is a front view of the insertion device when the outer packaging box is placed on the insertion device of FIG. 1 and the placement member is placed at the insertion position. For convenience of explanation, the pressing plate 18 and the flap Fa on the front side in the front direction are omitted.

  First, the outer box C is placed on the placement member 15 located at the placement position M. The outer box C is placed with its opening facing upward and the pair of flaps Fb, Fb facing the pair of interference preventing members 13a, 13a. Then, the mounting member 15 is raised to the insertion position N by the advance / retreat driving device 15b. The insertion position N is a position opposite to the extrusion member 14 across the interference prevention members 13a and 13a in the extrusion direction of the extrusion member 14, and the article group Wa pushed out by the extrusion member 14 is inserted into the outer box C. Is set to a position.

  The edges of the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 are in contact with each other, and the article group Wa is arranged in the article arrangement area S. The article group Wa is formed by aligning the articles W to a size that can be inserted into the outer box C or less.

  Note that the arrangement of the outer box C and the arrangement of the articles W are independent operations, and the order in time series is not particularly limited.

  Then, the pushing member 14 descends from the retreat position G and is located at the pushing start position H, and the article group Wa is pinched by the pair of pinching plates 8 and 8. Here, the extrusion start position H is set to a position where the extrusion member 14 contacts the article group Wa placed in the article arrangement region S. Further, the pushing member 14 stops once at the pushing start position H. Alternatively, extrusion of the article group Wa can be started continuously without stopping.

  FIG. 3 is a front view of the insertion device when the insertion device of FIG. 1 opens a pair of movable plates.

  After the article group Wa is clamped and held by the pair of clamping plates 8 and 8, the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 are separated. And it arrange | positions so that at least one part of the main surface of the interference prevention member 13a may contact | abut to the side wall B of the exterior box C. FIG. Accordingly, the flaps Fb and Fb of the outer box C placed on the placement member 15 are excluded from the space above the opening of the outer box C, and the position of the outer box C placed on the placement member 15 is determined. Misalignment is corrected.

  The pushing member 14 further descends from the pushing start position H to the inserting position N while extruding the article group Wa.

  FIG. 4 is a front view of the insertion device when the insertion device of FIG. 1 pushes the group of articles into the outer box. The pushing member 14 is lowered to the insertion completion position L. The insertion completion position L is set to the position of the pushing member 14 when the article group Wa is almost settled in the outer box C. Here, the interference preventing member 13a is located between the article group Wa and the side wall B and is sandwiched between the both.

  When the pushing member 14 pushes out the article group Wa, the clamping pressure of the clamping plate 8 is adjusted so that a slight frictional force is generated between the article group Wa and the pushing member 14. As a result, the article group Wa separates between the pinching plates 8 and 8. Then, after the article group Wa is detached, the clamping plates 8 and 8 retreat so as to be separated from the article arrangement region S.

  Then, the placement member 15 places the outer box C in which the article group Wa is inserted, and descends from the insertion position N to the outer box release position NN.

  FIG. 5 is a front view of the insertion device when the placement device is separated from the interference prevention member until the insertion device of FIG. 1 reaches the outer box release position. Here, the pushing member 14 moves down to the pushing member retreat start position LL while keeping the distance from the placing member 15 substantially constant so as to follow the lowering of the placing member 15. That is, the position of the mounting member 15 when the pushing member 14 is lowered to the pushing member retreat start position LL is the outer box release position NN.

  Here, the pushing-out member retreat start position LL is a position where the interference preventing member 13a releases the restraint of the outer box C, and is specifically set as follows.

  The placing member 15 is set at a position where the pushing member retreat start position LL is separated from the interference preventing member 13a until the article group Wa inserted into the outer box C is separated from the tip of the interference preventing member 13a. This is because, at this position, the interference prevention member 13a comes out of the gap between the side wall B and the article group Wa, so that the possibility that the article group Wa restrains the interference prevention member 13a is reduced.

  Alternatively, the pushing member retreat start position LL is set at a position where the mounting member 15 is separated from the interference preventing member 13a until the tip of the side wall B of the outer box C is separated from the tip of the interference preventing member 13a. Accordingly, the contact between the interference preventing member 13a and the side wall B is eliminated, so that the possibility that the interference preventing member 13a restrains the outer box C is further reduced. For example, when the height of the side wall B is longer than the height of the article group Wa, the outer box C may be restrained by the interference prevention member 13a due to the frictional force between the interference prevention member 13a and the side wall B. . This is particularly effective in such a case.

  Alternatively, the pushing member retreat start position LL is set at a position where the mounting member 15 is separated from the interference preventing member 13a until the front ends of the flaps Fb and Fa of the outer box C are separated from the front end of the interference preventing member 13a. As a result, the interference preventing member 13a is completely separated from the outer box C, so that the interference preventing member 13a does not restrain the outer box C. For example, like the cardboard box, the flaps Fa and Fb are relatively thick, and the outer box C is restrained by the interference prevention member 13a by the frictional force between the interference prevention member 13a and the flaps Fa and Fb. There is. This is particularly effective in such a case.

  FIG. 6 is a front view of the insertion device when the insertion device of FIG. 1 is separated from the interference prevention member to the placement position. The push-out member 14 rises from the push-out member retreat start position LL to the retreat position G, and the placement member 15 continues or is temporarily stopped at the outer box release position NN and then lowered to the placement position M.

  And a pair of movable plates 13 and 13 advance, and the edge parts contact | abut.

  FIG. 7 is a front view of the insertion device when the insertion device of FIG. 1 closes the pair of movable plates. The closing timing of the pair of movable plates 13 and 13 is after the push-out member 14 rises above the pair of movable plates 13 and 13.

  Then, at the placement position M, the exterior box C is carried out of the placement member 15, and a new empty exterior box C is placed on the placement member 15. A new article group Wa is arranged in the article arrangement area S. Then, the insertion operation is repeated again.

  Here, the interference prevention members 13a and 13a are configured integrally with the movable plates 13 and 13, but may be separate members from the movable plates 13 and 13. In this case, the interference preventing members 13a and 13a are arranged so as to advance and retract in the horizontal direction directly below the movable plate 13 by a known advance / retreat driving means such as an actuator. Further, the driving means for the movable plate 13 can use general advance / retreat means such as a turret.

  Here, the outer packaging box C is configured to move by the mounting member 15, but the interference prevention member 22 may be configured to approach and separate from the mounting member 15. Even if it comprises in this way, after the article group Wa is inserted, the interference prevention member 22 is separated from the mounting member 15 while maintaining the distance between the extruding member 14 and the mounting member 15. The restraint relationship between C and the interference preventing member 22 can be eliminated.

(Embodiment 2)
8A and 8B are diagrams showing the configuration of the main part of the automatic boxing device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, where FIG. 8A is a front view and FIG. 8B is a plan view. FIG. 9 is a front view schematically showing the overall configuration of the automatic boxing device according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 8, the automatic boxing device includes an introduction conveyor 3 (article supply device), an alignment conveyor 6 (article alignment device), a transfer plate 7 (article group transfer device), and the insertion device 9 according to the first embodiment. An outer box carrying-in conveyor 4 (outer box feeding device), an outer box carrying-out conveyor 5 (outer box carrying-out device), and a control device 30 are provided.

  The introduction conveyor 3 is arranged to supply the articles W to the alignment conveyor 6. For example, a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor is used. Further, the discharge end 3 a is disposed to face the receiving position R (first position) of the endless track 16.

  The alignment conveyor 6 is configured to receive and align a plurality of articles W supplied from the introduction conveyor 3. Specifically, it has an endless track 16 having a plurality of belt groups and a plurality of fins 10 attached to the transport surface of the endless track 16.

  The plurality of fins 10 are attached in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval in the transport direction, that is, with a predetermined gap portion 11 to form a fin group 10a. As shown in FIG. 8B, the fin 10 has a width that can receive the article W. The gap portion 11 is adjusted to an interval at which one article W can be accommodated according to the article W. In addition, the number of fins 10 forming the fin group 10 a is adjusted so that the article W has the capacity of the outer box C. In other words, the articles W are accommodated in all the gap portions 11 and are arranged on the endless track 16 by the fin groups 10a, whereby the articles group Wa is configured.

  The endless track 16 is disposed in the horizontal direction so that the forward path surface is adjacent to the article placement region S of the insertion device 9 in the horizontal direction. The endless track 16 is configured such that the fin 10 stands upright at the transfer position T (second position) adjacent to the article placement region S. Further, when the plurality of belt groups are circulated and driven independently from each other by different driving devices (not shown), the plurality of fin groups 10a can be formed, and the conveyance capacity of the article group Wa can be increased. Here, as shown in FIG. 8B, the endless track 16 has a first belt group 16a and a second belt group 16b each composed of two belts. The fins 10 attached to the first belt group 16a and the second belt group 16b constitute a fin group 10a. As a result, even when the fin group 10a of the first belt group 16a is stopped and the article W is transferred to the insertion device 9, the second belt group 16b is independently circulated and driven to receive position R. The article W can be received.

  The transfer plate 7 is configured so that the articles W in all the gap portions of the fin group 10a can be transferred to the article placement region S at the transfer position T at the same time. Here, the endless track 16 is disposed on the opposite side of the article placement region S with the transfer position T in between so as to be parallel to the endless track 16. Further, it is configured to be able to advance and retreat toward the article placement region S so as to cross the forward surface of the endless track 6. The transfer plate 7 is formed with slits 12 through which the fins 10 can pass.

  The insertion device 9 is as described in the first embodiment. The insertion device 9 is disposed so that the positioning plate 17 faces the transfer plate 7. Here, one side surface of the article group Wa is pushed out by the forward and backward movement of the transfer plate 7, and the horizontally moved article group Wa is arranged to receive the other side face. And as shown in FIG.8 (b), the pressing plate 18 is arrange | positioned between the transfer plate 7 and the goods arrangement | positioning area | region S. As shown in FIG.

  The outer box carrying-in conveyor 4 is arranged so as to carry the outer box C onto the placement member 15 at the placement position M. For example, a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor is used.

  The outer box carry-out conveyor 5 is configured to carry the outer box C out of the mounting member 15. For example, a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor is used.

  The control device 30 controls the operation of the insertion device 9. Here, as shown in FIG. 9, the advancing / retreating drive device 8b for the clamping plate 8, the opening / closing drive device 13b for the movable plate 13, the advancing / retreating drive device 14b for the pushing plate 14, and the advancing / retreating drive device 15b for the mounting member 15 are controlled. To do. For these driving devices, a driving device capable of easily performing position control, for example, a servo motor is used.

  In addition, the introduction conveyor 3, the alignment conveyor 6, the transfer plate 7, the outer box carry-in conveyor 4 and the outer box carry-out conveyor 5 are driven using respective known drive devices. The control device 30 controls these driving devices. Thus, in conjunction with the operation of the insertion device 9, it is possible to control the introduction conveyor 3, the alignment conveyor 6, the transfer plate 7, the outer box carry-in conveyor 4 and the outer box carry-out conveyor 5.

  Next, the operation of the automatic boxing apparatus configured as described above will be described.

  8A and 8B, the articles W are supplied from the introduction conveyor 3 to the alignment conveyor 6. As a result, the articles W are sequentially put into the gap portion 11, and can be aligned so as to form the article group Wa.

  The articles W sequentially fall from the discharge end 3a of the introduction conveyor 3, and the alignment conveyor 6 receives the articles W in each gap portion 11 while moving by one gap. In the endless track 16, the endless track 16 has an arcuate shape in the portion of the sprocket 6 a that extends from the lower return path to the upper outbound path, and the gap portion 11 extends radially. For this reason, this part of the alignment conveyor 6 becomes the receiving position R for receiving the articles W from the introduction conveyor 3.

  When the articles W enter all the gap portions 11, the alignment conveyor 6 moves to the transfer position T at a stretch.

  At the transfer position T, the transfer plate 7 moves horizontally so as to cross the alignment conveyor 6, and all articles W (that is, the article group Wa) positioned at the transfer position T are transferred from the gap portion 11. The article W is transferred to the article placement region S by the transfer plate 7 in an aligned state. The article W that has been pushed out from the side surface by the transfer plate 7 is received by the positioning plate 17 that is arranged so as to face the transfer plate 7, whereby the article group Wa is placed in the article placement region S. The holding plate 18 swings and retreats during the transfer of the article group Wa to enable the transfer of the article group Wa to the article placement area S. After the transfer of the article group Wa, the side surface of the article group Wa is lightly pressed. The collapse of the article group Wa is corrected and prevented.

  The outer box C is supplied from the outer box carrying-in conveyor 4 to the mounting member 15.

  The insertion device 9 inserts the article group Wa into the outer box C by the operation described in the first embodiment.

  The outer box C containing the article group Wa is carried out from the outer box carrying-out conveyor 5 at the placement position M.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful as an insertion device, an insertion method, and an automatic boxing device that can smoothly separate the outer packaging box and the interference prevention member after the article is inserted.

It is a perspective view which shows roughly the arrangement | positioning relationship between the insertion apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention, an exterior box, an interference prevention member, and an exterior box. FIG. 2 is a front view of the insertion device when the outer packaging box is placed on the insertion device of FIG. 1 and a placement member is placed at the insertion position. It is a front view of an insertion device when the insertion device of Drawing 1 opens a pair of movable plates. FIG. 2 is a front view of the insertion device when the insertion device of FIG. 1 pushes an article group into an exterior box. FIG. 2 is a front view of the insertion device when the insertion device of FIG. 1 separates the mounting member from the interference prevention member to the outer box release position. FIG. 3 is a front view of the insertion device when the insertion member of FIG. 1 is separated from the interference prevention member to the placement position. It is a front view of an insertion device when the insertion device of Drawing 1 closes a pair of movable plates. It is the front view (a) and the top view (b) which show schematically the structure of the automatic boxing apparatus using the insertion apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a front view which shows roughly the automatic boxing apparatus using the insertion apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Introduction conveyor 3a Unloading end 4 Outer box carrying-in conveyor 5 Outer box carrying-out conveyor 6 Alignment conveyor 6a Sprocket 7 Transfer plate 8 Clamping plate 8b Advance drive device 9 Insertion device 10 Fin 10a Fin group 11 Gap part 12 Slit 13 Movable plate 13a Interference Prevention member 13b Opening / closing drive device 14 Pushing member 14b Advance / retreat drive device 15 Placement member 15b Advance / retreat drive device 16 Endless track 16a, 16b Belt group 17 Positioning plate 18 Holding plate 19 Article placement member 30 Control device B Side wall C Outer box Fa Flap Fb Flap G Retraction position H Extrusion start position L Insertion completion position LL Extrusion member retraction start position M Placement position N Insertion position NN Outer box release position R Reception position (first position)
S article placement area T relocation position (second position)
W article Wa article group

Claims (13)

An outer packaging box in an open state in which a flap is extended to the distal end of the peripheral wall forming the opening, and a mounting member on which the opening is mounted in a predetermined direction;
An article arrangement member arranged so as to partition at least a part of a predetermined area in which the article or group of articles is arranged so as to correspond to the opening of the outer box in the predetermined direction;
A clamping means for clamping and holding the article or group of articles in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction in the predetermined region;
The flap is formed by a plate-like body extending in the predetermined direction between the predetermined region and the mounting member, and the flap is opened from the front space of the opening of the outer box placed on the mounting member. An anti-interference member arranged to eliminate
Movement for relatively approaching and separating the interference prevention member and the placement member so that the interference prevention member is positioned at a placement position separated from the placement member and an insertion position approached in the predetermined direction. Means,
From the extrusion start position in contact with the clamped article or group of articles to the insertion completion position where the article or group of articles almost bottoms in the outer box placed on the mounting member described above at the insertion position Or an insertion means for advancing and retracting the pushing member to push out the group of articles to advance and retreat,
The mounting member on which the outer box is placed is positioned at the insertion position by the moving means, and at least a part of the main surface of the interference prevention member is in contact with the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the outer box. And
After that, the extrusion member is advanced by pushing out the article or group of articles from the extrusion start position to the insertion completion position,
Thereafter, until the placing member is relatively separated from the interference preventing member by at least a predetermined distance, the pushing member maintains the distance from the placing member at substantially the same distance as that at the insertion completion position. While being advanced,
Thereafter, the placing member is positioned at the placing position by the moving means, and the pushing member is retracted beyond the pushing start position.   The insertion device according to claim 1, wherein the placing member is moved by the moving means so as to approach the interference preventing member.   2. The insertion device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined interval is an interval at which the mounting member is separated from the interference preventing member until a tip of the interference preventing member is separated from the article or the article group.   2. The insertion device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined interval is an interval at which the mounting member is separated from the interference preventing member until a tip of the interference preventing member is separated from the distal end of the peripheral wall.   2. The insertion device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined interval is an interval at which the mounting member is separated from the interference preventing member until a front end of the interference preventing member is separated from a flap front end of the exterior box. The article arrangement member is configured to have a pair of movable plates that constitute a shutter with edges contacting and separating from each other, and the movable plate is in the extrusion direction of the extrusion member on the extrusion direction side of the article or group of articles. Is arranged to advance and retreat in a plane perpendicular to
The insertion device according to claim 1, wherein the interference member is a pair of plate-like bodies extending in a predetermined direction from the respective edge portions of the pair of movable plates. A placement member, an article placement member, a pinching means, an interference prevention member, a movement means, and an insertion means having an extrusion member,
A mounting step of mounting the outer packaging box in an open state in which a flap is extended to the distal end of the peripheral wall forming the opening, with the opening facing in a predetermined direction on the mounting member;
The article or article group is placed on the article arrangement member arranged so as to partition at least a part of the prescribed area where the article or article group is arranged so as to correspond to the opening of the exterior box in the predetermined direction. An article placement step for placement;
A clamping step of clamping and holding the article or group of articles from the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction in the predetermined region by the clamping means;
An opening of the outer box mounted on the mounting member, the interference preventing member configured by a plate-like body extending in the predetermined direction between the predetermined region and the mounting member. An interference preventing step of disposing the flap from the front space of the part,
The interference preventing member and the mounting member are relatively moved by the moving means so that the interference preventing member is positioned at a mounting position separated from the mounting member in the predetermined direction and an insertion position approaching the mounting position. Moving steps to approach and separate;
From the extrusion start position in contact with the clamped article or group of articles to the insertion completion position where the article or group of articles almost bottoms in the outer box placed on the mounting member described above at the insertion position Or an insertion method of an insertion device constituted by an extrusion step of extruding an article group to advance and retract the extrusion member,
In the moving step, the mounting member on which the exterior box is placed is positioned at the insertion position, and in the interference prevention step, at least a part of the main surface of the interference prevention member is applied to the inner peripheral wall surface of the exterior box. Positioned in contact,
Then, in the extrusion step, the extrusion member is pushed out from the extrusion start position to the insertion completion position to advance the article or group of articles,
Thereafter, in the moving step, the distance between the pushing member and the mounting member is set at the insertion completion position until the placing member is relatively separated from the interference preventing member by at least a predetermined distance. And advance while maintaining the same interval,
Then, the insertion member of the insertion device, wherein the placement member is positioned at the placement position in the moving step, and the extrusion member is retracted beyond the extrusion start position in the extrusion step.   The insertion method of the insertion apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the moving member moves the placement member so as to approach the interference preventing member.   The insertion method of the insertion device according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined interval is an interval at which the placement member is separated from the interference prevention member until a tip of the interference prevention member is separated from the article or group of articles.   The insertion method of the insertion device according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined interval is an interval at which the mounting member is separated from the interference preventing member until a distal end of the interference preventing member is separated from the distal end of the peripheral wall.   The insertion method of the insertion device according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined interval is an interval at which the placement member is separated from the interference prevention member until a front end of the interference prevention member is separated from a flap front end of the exterior box. . The article arrangement member is configured to have a pair of movable plates that constitute a shutter with edges contacting and separating from each other, and the movable plate is in the extrusion direction of the extrusion member on the extrusion direction side of the article or group of articles. Is arranged to advance and retreat in a plane perpendicular to
The insertion method of the insertion device according to claim 7, wherein the interference member is a pair of plate-like bodies extending from the respective edge portions of the pair of movable plates in the predetermined direction. An insertion device according to claim 1;
An article supply device for sequentially supplying articles to the first position;
An article alignment device for sequentially receiving the articles at the first position and sequentially aligning the articles to a second position;
An article row transfer device for supplying an article row aligned at the second position to a predetermined area of the insertion device;
An outer box supply device for mounting an outer box on the mounting member of the insertion device;
An outer box unloading device for unloading the outer box in which the article is inserted from the placing member of the insertion device;
An automatic boxing device comprising: a control device that controls operations of the article supply device, the partial article alignment device, the article row transfer device, the insertion device, the outer box supply device, and the outer box carry-out device.

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